5 Ways to Cozy up Your Living Room

What's wrong with the idea of making the biggest, nicest room in your home a boudoir? And if there's a fireplace in there, so much the better. OK, not really. Leave the snoring, the blanket snatching and the late night gas attacks in the "master" bedroom. Become a monarch in your own home by claiming the one room that really "gets" you -- the living room.

This is just our cheerful way of saying that formal rooms take themselves too seriously. They're like the popular kids in high school or the tony country club that makes you feel you don't quite cut the mustard. If the president isn't coming to visit any time soon, lighten up. Peek behind that curtain of refinement and find your room's sense of fun. That decorative serving tray perfectly positioned on your ottoman will actually support a cup of cocoa and a dish of cookies every once in a while. The couch is probably a primo spot for a nap, too.